Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-06
BATTLING WITH AN OCTOPUS. A Terrible Fight with a Sea Monster
 0H fhe Pacific Coast


 off the Pacific Coast.
 LFrom the San Francisco Alta California;
 An unusual commotion and excitement have been noticeable for several days past among the members of the little Chinese fishing colony that is located on the shore of the arm of the hay that stretches between the Potrero and south San Francisco. The odd-shaped scows and rsfts in which the fishermen pursue their vocation have been seen skimming around the bay in an aimless way; the plodding clam catcher, instead
 of prodding in mud for the bivalves, has put in the time in running around the beach, and even extending his travels to the other
 side of Butchertown, if he were in search of something. At night twice the ordinary number of tapers and punks have been
 burned in the camp, and the Celestials have
 been heard chanting 8 low, monotonous song that sounded like death dirge. Yes
 terday the cause of the movement was dis covered. Lee Chung Tux, one of the most
 prosperous and energetic members of the
 community, is no more. That he is dead
 all his former companions firmly believe now, though for some days they entertained
 hopes that he might yet have escaped the horrible fate which three of his friends
 assert that he met with. Acting under this
 impression, reaching parties were instituted.
 The circumstances attending his disappear ance from his haunts and friends are, accord ing to the statements, sensational as well as tragical.
 Tux was the owner of one of the neatest iunks in the colonial fishing fleet, and had three assistants to help him in his labors.
 From the pigeon English of the Chin ese the following story has been gleaned. Aside
 from certain imaginative touches, which the fears of the Chinese may have caused them to add to it, the story goes to show that man eating sharks are not the only dreaded sea monsters harbored by the deep waters of the bay.
 On last Sunday evening as the sun was de clining and the mists floating in from the sea Tux and his three companions hauled out into deep water in their junk, which, by ths way, is called by Chinese name, which, translated means "Ths ever resp1endent Queen of the Ocean, that snaps her fingers at the devils of the deep" It was the ob- iect of the party to lay their nets by night and have them in readiness by the morning. Some hours were occupied in the occupation, for however expert Tuk's "Queen" was in snapping her fingers at devils, she was almighty slow in getting through the water. I The moon was well up in the sky and cast 8 halo of silver light around on the rippling waves as they swashed against the sides of he junk. Tux was leaning over the edge of the boat adjusting some ropes. In the same moment Tuk's companions saw huge shiny. serpent-h like arm emerge from the water, and twine itself around his middle. A great scream broke from his lips and died away in a sickening gurgle as the breath was forced out of him by the com pression of the air. Cries of horror and fright arose from Tuk's comrades and they crouched low in the boat, and watched Tuk's struggle in the horrible embrace. Their cries were redoubled when, almost in the space of another moment, at least six hid eous-looking arms arose in the air, and began to whirl around like windmill on breezy ! day. The arms or tentacle then commenced ! to swish around the boat as if they were feeling for the other Chinese, who were moaning and crying with terror. Tuks body was still wriggiing, and gurgle came | from his throat. Two of the waving arms were wound around his limbs, binding them I with terrific power. Then huge jelly y-ike body rose in the water close by the junk, and by the light of the moon the terrified Chinese saw the huge, gaping mouth Of the l monster, and the protruding eyes shot out greenish gleam 8 new peril was now l staring the wretehed fishermen in the face: The weight of the monsters tentacles, one of which was clutching the gunwale fast, was
 careening the boat over inch by inch. The gunwale was even now almost on level with the waves, and the shivering cover ing Chinese would be dropped into the gaping mouth or into the embrace of the ten tacles.
 Fear at last seemed to nerve one of the Chinese with desperate courage. He crawled over to where large hatchet was lying and. seizing it, made his way to the gunwale. Then standing up and dodging a blow from one of the whirling arms, be
 brought the sharp edge down upon the clutching tentacle. One stroke, then rapid second. The arm was severed, and at the
 same time gust of wind struck the boats | sail and drove her good distance away from the fish ere it could get another grip. The
 three men were safe; with streaming eyes
 they saw the yet struggling form of Tux | dragged beneath the waters. Fearing anoth-